Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
Father’s Day Is Coming!
Father’s Day is coming- this Sunday! What are you going to do for Dad?
This year the kids and I are going to make Mr. Fletcher feel like a king. No, not king, but King with a capital K. The plan is:
Dad sleeps in- normally he gets up to make the coffee while I run around nuts getting the kids ready for the day.
The kids and I make a great breakfast while Dad settles into his favorite chair with coffee.
Dad gets served breakfast.
Dad is left alone to enjoy his meal, then to do as he likes for a few hours.
After that, I’ll begin prep for the cookout. I’d love to be the one to man the grill, but in this house, hubby is the Pitmaster. I swear, that man just can’t stand for anyone to touch the grill. It is like the ultimate insult to his manhood if I try to takeover. He’s perfectly o.k. If I make more money than him, he believes women are the equal to men in every way.
Except when they try to take over his grill.
That’s when you see this enlightened individual go completely Cave Man. “Urg. No. Grill mine.”
Oh well. After that, Dad will get more relaxation and maybe we’ll even get some alone time when the kids fall into bed. Somehow I think that’s going to be the toughest part of the day. Parents around the world know, when Mom and Dad want to have even 5 minutes alone, that is when the kid radar goes off.
I found a list of frugal gift ideas on About.com in case you want to skip the tie this year.
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/specialoccasions/tp/Fathers_Day.htm
Personally, I think the very best gift is time to himself with no demands. It’s cheap [free!] and gives him a little peace of mind. Who knows, maybe he’ll do the same for you!
More gift ideas:
http://www.canada.com/life/fathers-day-guide/Recession+proof+Father+gifts/1689775/story.html
http://mommysavers.com/frugal-holidays/frugal-fathers-day-gift-ideas.shtml
http://www.buildingcamelot.com/2009/06/03/dad-awesome-fathers-day-gift-ideas/
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Guest Article: Will Marry For Food, Sex, and Laundry
First Encounters — Not a Time for Fairytales
By Simon Oaks,
Author of Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him — and How to Keep Him
Everyone puts on a show to impress someone at the beginning of a relationship. You meet a guy, you feel a connection, and you want the connection to develop into something stronger. You don’t want him losing interest in you and moving on, so you exaggerate a bit to keep him interested. Guys get that. It’s only natural.
But first impressions count with guys. You shouldn’t come with fine print that he’s going to miss and regret later. This is a key area where women shoot themselves in the foot, and it’s so unnecessary. The balance of power in the world of dating belongs to women. You hold the power of veto. You are always the one who can say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” However, he might walk away if he finds out your first meeting happened behind a facade. So don’t give him a reason not to trust you.
Statistics say men lie five times more often than women. (Now ask yourself, is that true, or did I just make it up?) Despite human progress and enlightened times, we’re still slaves to our genes. Males are hardwired to impress women. Watch the elaborate dances some birds go through to win over a female — puffing up their chests and using their feathers to exaggerate how big they are. Human males are no different. They’re going to tell you they’re richer, stronger, taller and more important than the next guy to win your affections.
The problem is that our equal opportunity world has skewed the curve somewhat. The days of women sitting back, waiting to be picked up are over. Women can now go on the offensive and pick up guys if they desire. With these turned tables, it has become more important for women to impress men.
This new need for women to be proactive when picking up guys increases the chance that you might exaggerate, or fudge certain details to land your man. Don’t try to be like us, ladies. Stay true to who you are and don’t let the game turn you into an ugly player.
Don’t false advertise. Make yourself interesting, but please don’t invent stuff. Wild exaggerations backfire for two reasons. First, he feels pretty dumb for believing you. Second, you’re not the person he’s looking for. He wanted the person you pretended to be, not the real you.
So don’t tell him that you’re up for threesomes with another girl if you don’t mean it, or he’s going to be mightily disappointed. Trust me, he is. Don’t portray yourself as a hard-drinking, party girl who likes to play fast and loose like Samantha from Sex in the City if that’s not you. No man likes to discover his sex kitten is in fact a quiet cat that likes to sleep eighteen hours a day.
The problem kicks in when the exaggerations go beyond shaving a few pounds off your usual weight and using a pushup bra. A minor exaggeration shouldn’t develop into a full-blown lie and you want to avoid the Cinderella syndrome. Sure, she ended up with Prince Charming at the end, but do you really think the Prince bought the whole glass slipper-thing hook, line, and sinker? Think again.
The Prince’s Version
After the clock chimes twelve and he’s left holding nothing but a glass slipper, he checks in with his boys to report on the night.
“Dude, did you see the hottie I was with?”
“Yeah, man. Who is she?”
“Calls herself Cinderella. She’s got a real nice ride. Doesn’t go anywhere without her entourage in tow. And she sports these tiny glass slippers. Where the hell do you buy glass slippers?”
“Don’t know, bro. Did you get her number?”
“Nah.”
“Reeejected!”
“No way, man. She was in a rush. I did get one of her glass slippers though. She’ll be back for that bad boy.”
After waiting around for the three-day no-call period, the Prince figures his glass-footed beauty must’ve forgot where she left her shoe, so he launches a full-scale search to show off his power.
It takes him a while, but he tracks down Cinderella. Only a whole lot’s changed from the night of the ball. Her carriage has turned back into a pumpkin, her entourage is a pack of rodents, and her knockout designer number is just a bunch of rags.
He knows these are just superficial things, but he can’t shake the fact that she lied. If she lied about all that, what else is she hiding?
Despite what the fairytale says, Prince Charming isn’t going to be as easily forgiving. The issue here is that no guy likes to be deceived. He feels stupid. And regardless of what he previously thought about you, you just turned real unattractive real fast.
Now it sounds like I’m making guys out to be angels. They aren’t. Just like you, when they first encounter someone who catches their eye, they’re likely to exaggerate just as much, if not more. The key difference between you and him exaggerating is that you expect it. You have a heightened sense for bullshit. Your bullshit detector is NASA quality in comparison to his.
Just remember, be yourself. I know this sounds dumb, but it’s not. If you’re a quiet girl, then be a quiet girl. If you’re a sassy lass, then be a sassy lass. Different men will be attracted to different kinds of women. There are men out there who prefer a quiet girl as much as there are guys who dig dangerous ladies. By not being yourself, you’re not only attracting guys you won’t like, but you’re turning off the guys who would like you for being you.
Excerpt adapted from Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him — and How to Keep Him ©2009 Simon Oaks
Author Bio
Simon Oaks, author of Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him — and How to Keep Him, is a California transplant from England, who swore he’d remain single for life. But now this former racecar driver turned writer is a bachelor turned husband, and is letting the women out there know the secrets behind making a man commit. He’s been happily married now for ten years to his American wife, Julie. The two live together in Richmond, CA.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Eileen Parker, CozyCalm Creator
When I met Eileen Parker, I never knew that what began as a business contact would turn into a valued friendship. After just one email from Eileen, I knew this was a chance to know someone who took their special needs and molded them into a company to help millions of autistic children.
Eileen Parker is the creator of the Cozy Calm weighted blanket. Weighted blankets are very useful for helping those with autism and sensory processing disorders sleep more soundly. While there are a plethora of weighted blankets available on the market, this one is very special. You see, Eileen is a high functioning autistic adult.
The Cozy Calm blankets are available at Eileen’s website, CozyCalm dot Com. The site has an About Us page, but the casual visitor would have a hard time understanding the depth of the meaning behind these blankets.
The internet is full of information about autism and children, but learning about adults with autism is a little harder. Autism is a spectrum of disorders with children and adults in all areas, from low to high. Eileen, as I mentioned, is High Functioning. That means that she is able to communicate at a far higher capability than anyone residing in the low range of autism. In some people’s minds, autism means a child or adult who is locked in their own world. Unable to reach out, never speaking.
To me, Eileen embodies everything about the ’high’ end of the spectrum that so many are unaware of. High functioning autistics have trouble understanding figurative meanings, they take almost everything in a literal sense. This can be confusing for them. As Eileen said in one of our conversations: “I am very literal, which is a disadvantage because I often don’t get jokes and sayings. For years, I wondered what “dropping the ball” meant.”
This can be a disadvantage in social situations, but for business being very literal and focused can mean success. In another quote from Ms. Parker she explains this.
“On the other side of the coin, I am successful at my business because it is black and white: have the best product on the market, deliver customer service, sell it at a competitive price, create and refine systems, and more. And, for me, the store programming and graphic design I learned easily.” She continues, “ My obsessions turn into depth of learning. Once I am on to a new obsession that gives me breadth of knowledge and understanding of ideas and how they interconnect.”
It is refreshing to have a glimpse into the inner workings of autism. To begin to understand what makes a child on the spectrum ‘tick’. Parents find themselves at a loss to ‘get’ their child, even those who can speak and relate some of their feelings. As one of those parents, I can honestly say that my conversations with Eileen have given me much more hope than I ever thought possible for my autistic child.
I have come to appreciate the openness and beauty of those with autism even more. One particular moment that Eileen related to me sticks in my mind when I go through my day and especially when it is a rough one. For those of us who are classified ‘neuro-typical’, we forget to see the wonderful parts of everyday life. Or in each other. I would like to share her story of one moment with you, in hopes that it will stay with you as well. Perhaps it will give you insight into your autistic child, friend, or co-worker.
“My naiveté often gets me in trouble because I believe people, assume they are good, and don’t assume ulterior motives or their real meaning. It is an advantage with people because they say I am so real and refreshing.
I talk too much or blurt out the truth, which people sometimes don’t want to hear. But it can make people feel good, feel validated, or feel heard. As one example, I was off to the fabric wholesaler and I had to wait in the parking lot for a lady to cross in front of me. She smiled at me and her smile made me feel elated because it made her face so beautiful, almost beatific, and I normally don’t notice faces. When I got inside, I told her that and she smiled again.”
We don’t hear often enough that we are beautiful. We worry about the media, that we are too fat, wrinkled, or more. That none of us are good enough. Maybe if we all looked at each other and ourselves through the eyes of autism, we could see how gorgeous that we really are.
Thank you, Eileen, for being you and sharing that with us all.
For more insight into the world of autism, visit Eileen’s Blog.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Kid Music: The Jimmies
If you were walking by my home, odds are that you would be like everyone else I have spotted. The music and bouncing sounds would make you turn your head. With 4 children under 10 you can bet that we have a lot going on! With the addition of a bounce house and the new ‘The Jimmies’ cd things have only gotten louder.
Good thing we are not in an apartment, right? I would feel for anyone who had to listen to this ruckus. Not, the cd but the dulcet tones of my completely tone deaf 4 year old as she sings along with tunes like ‘Soaper the Scaredybot’ and ‘What’s that sound?’.
I’ll tell you what that sound is. My little rockstars throwing a concert for the entire neighborhood.
Not that I mind. The cd has some totally groovin’ tracks. Music for children normally sends Mom and Dads running for cover. The music makes you want to either plug your ears with the closest thing that will fit in the canal OR it becomes stuck in your head. How many of you have gotten funny looks from co-workers then suddenly realized you were singing some weird kid tune?
That’s right, I can see most of you nodding right now.
While the lyrics to The Jimmies songs are made for children, the rhythm is something parents can live with. A huge change from ‘Pop Goes The Weasel’. Not babyish at all which is great when your child is too old for nursery tunes but too young for the Top Ten. Seriously, when Terisa, (my 4 year old) started singing some of the lyrics from the radio I knew it was time to get the kids their own stereo.
If you happen to live in NYC, The Jimmies make appearances quite often. Kind of jealous because I would love to see these guys in person!
Visit The Official Site and you can even download the album, Make Your Own Someday, for $15.99 USD
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thinking of divorce?
There are times in a marriage when the road becomes bumpy. Relationship advice, marriage counseling, and sometimes just talking will help. The worst is avoided, both spouses realize, “Hey, we do love one another! Let’s just tough this out.”
What if that does not happen? There are little things that chip away at a marriage. Then there are the huge disasters that can crack apart even the tightest cemented couple. Maybe a combination of both. Anger, resentment, finances, and more.
I am not talking about infidelity or violence. Those are for another post one day. Right now I am concerned with the stress of day to day living, with the added ‘crisis’ issues that can tear apart an otherwise happy marriage.
What if you realize one day that you are completely fed up with your spouse? Their annoying habits, phrases, and find that you have no idea who they are anymore. Maybe the fights begin or grow worse. Cutting remarks, sarcasm, withholding of sex, or just a loss of interest in intimacy at all.
I am wondering if there is a way to move past this, other than divorce. Readers, have you thought of divorce? Are you currently involved in divorce proceedings? If so, please share your stories in the comments.
If you or someone you know is thinking of a divorce, here is a page that has links to the divorce laws by state in the USA. I will post by country as soon as I locate all divorce laws that I can.
US Divorce Laws By State
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
RECALL: Evenflo Triple Fun Activity Center
Special Thanks to Jill in Montreal for the alert!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 233-5921
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
Evenflo® Recalls Children’s Activity Centers Due to Fall Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Evenflo Activity Centers
Units: About 213,000
Manufacturer: Evenflo Co. Inc., of Miamisburg, Ohio
Hazard: When used as an activity table, the cap on one end of the product can loosen and fall off, posing a fall hazard to a young child.
Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 11 reports of dislodged end caps which resulted in nine minor injuries, including bumps and bruises. Evenflo has also received a report of a dislodged end cap that resulted in a child suffering a broken collarbone in Canada.
Description: The recall involves Evenflo ExerSaucer Triple Fun stationary activity centers made between October 2006 and December 2008. The model number is 6231711. Stage 3 position involves converting the product into an activity table. No other ExerSaucer models use end caps and, therefore, no other models are included in this recall.
(more…)
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Guest Article:The Art of Parenting Non-Conforming Kids
The Art of Parenting Non-Conforming Kids: Six Ways to Teach Your Kids to Live Fearless, Authentic, and Wildly Successful Lives
By Robin Fisher-Roffer,
Author of The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How To Succeed When You’re The Only One Like You
Parents take note: We’re living in a time when being “different” actually pays off.
Here’s how to nurture individuality in the formative years.
Few jobs are more daunting than raising well-rounded, happy, confident kids. On one hand, you adore what makes your child unique: your daughter’s all-consuming love of science (she’s bordering on nerdy!) or your son’s quiet disposition and curious spirit. On the other, you worry that being too “different” — too shy, too short, too tomboyish (or, in the case of boys, too sensitive), too anything — is a sure path to unpopularity and isolation. What’s a conflicted parent to do? Urge your child to succeed within socially prescribed boundaries? Or let him or her break the (unspoken) rules and risk being labeled “weird”?
(more…)
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
My Precious Kid:Teddy Bear Child Locator Review
My Precious Kid generously sent me a Teddy Bear Child Locator to try out. Unlike other locators I have thought about purchasing, this one combines function with a fun form. The Teddy Bear has been a security lovey for children for years, what better icon to use in a safety device?
I waited before writing a review. I felt that the device needed to be used more than once to provide you with the best information and opinion. I am very glad that I did wait.
(more…)
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Top 3 Herbal Remedies For Kids
Last night I was reading a new article on herbal remedies and children. Parents are giving their children herbs, which in itself is a great thing. Complimentary and Alternative Medicine has gained quite a bit of a following. In the past decade science has proven what countless people have known for centuries- plant and food based medicines work. Often better than chemical based medicines.
What does this mean for us laymen? Should we go to the local herb shop and buy as many bottles or teas as possible? Absolutely not. Herbal remedies have the same chance of drug interaction or adverse reaction as what we have come to know as traditional medication. Chamomile, for instance, can cause allergic reactions in those who are allergic to the ragweed family. Garlic has properties that reduce blood clotting, so it should not be used if you already take a blood thinner.
(more…)
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
How fashionable are you?
Now I’m not much of a trendsetter. The shirt I’m wearing was outdated several seasons ago and my hairdresser knows I’m such a creature of habit she doesn’t bother to ask what I want anymore.
But I have a girlfriend who is. She splurges on shoes, dangerously sexy dresses, bags and jewlery. All things - she tells me - I know nothing about.
Perhaps that’s because she (unlike me) is a member of the latest hip community at Stylehive. Stylehive.com is a meeting place for people who live, eat and breath, fashion, design and shopping. At stylehive you’ll find every imaginable big name in fashion retailing. You can chat with other fashion addicts about your favourite topic. Maybe you’re into Lisa Kline, shopping for a new hip sofa, or looking for look good with eye makeup, consider checking out this funky community.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
